


Give My Regards/Another Year

by Merfilly



Category: Batman: The Animated Series, DCU Animated, Superman: The Animated Series
Genre: Holidays, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-11-23
Updated: 2010-11-23
Packaged: 2017-10-29 14:05:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/320725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Bat has his traditions... but he also has a boyfriend to learn them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Give My Regards/Another Year

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published as two separate fics in two separate years (nearly four years apart), now combined.

Superman landed and hastily changed in the copse of trees into Clark Kent's attire before hurrying up to the side door of the manor, noting the lights on in the kitchen. He had hoped to make it in time for midnight, to get a New Year's kiss from Bruce, and was rather pleased he'd made it with time to spare.

His ears warned him there were several people in the kitchen, but Bruce's voice was not among them. He hesitated, yet Alfred's own undefined superpower of just Knowing kicked in. Apparently Alfred was somehow akin to J'onn, because he knew Clark was there and was opening the door before Clark could turn away to go check the cave through the other entrance.

"Come in, Master Clark."

"I came to see Bruce," he stammered, taking in Dick and Tim and a very bright red-haired girl...he knew her, he thought.

"Am I chopped liver these days?" Dick demanded, bouncing over to hug the reporter. "Bruce didn't think work was over, and he has a date."

The color fell out of Clark's cheeks at hearing those cheerful words, even as he hugged Dick briefly.

"A date...I mean, it is good to see you, Dick..." he managed, trying to recover. Tim and the redhead both cracked up into hysterical giggles.

"Dick, don't be so mean to Bruce's friend," the girl said. "Hi, I'm Barbara, Mister Kent." She slid down off the stool and came to shake his hand. "Daddy's the other half of the date, once they are both sure of work being done," she said, talking with the same extra layer to 'work' that Dick had.

"Your father..." Clark's eyes squinted as he tried to place her, tried to knock the green monster of envy off his shoulder, because Bruce and he had never really finalized any kind of dating agreement when Lois decided that the charade needed to end.

"The Commish," Tim supplied helpfully. "And don't worry so much, Big Guy; Babs is family."

"The Comm...Commissioner Gordon?" Clark said, relief breaking out all over him. Clark knew that if there was one man in all of Gotham that Bruce respected implicitly that was not Alfred, it was Jim Gordon.

"Indeed, Master Clark. So if you wish to be with Master Bruce before the bell tolls midnight and we all sing Auld Lang Syne, you'll have to go quite colorfully to the diner they are to meet at," Alfred encouraged. "It is tradition for the Commissioner and Master Bruce to seal their resolve and celebrate another year on this night."

Clark looked in worry over at the girl, who shrugged. Tim just kind of coughed at him, glaring in spunky fashion for the very idea of doubting his word. It made Clark smile, ducking his head down in embarrassment.

"Go on, Big Guy," Dick said, snickering a little. "I hear you can't carry a tune in a bucket, so let's not torture the brat or Alfie?"

"Why you..." Tim sprang from his seat to his 'big' brother, mock pummeling him while Babs just smiled and shook her head, all under the watchful eye of Alfred.

"I don't think I should intrude," Clark said softly, which made Alfred look his way.

"I would be most disappointed, Master Clark, to learn you are unwilling to face the few friends Master Bruce truly keeps as his partner," Alfred replied in a clear, dry tone that evoked so much parental disappointment that Clark winced and flushed.

"It's not that, Alfred; it's how private Bruce is," Clark said quietly.

"And relationships, Master Clark, are all about knowing when to challenge such boundaries. Go." Alfred was firm, as the melee in the kitchen on the other side of the counter was now a three-way tickle fest.

"Yes sir," Clark said, exiting with one last look at Tim sitting on Dick's chest while Babs tickled the first of Bruce's boys mercilessly.

`~`~`~`~`

The diner was empty, which meant any minute, _he_ would melt out of the shadows. The proprietor nodded across the room, one of the few men in Gotham to know for a fact that Batman existed, without ever having been a victim of a crime. For years now, the two men most important to Gotham's improvement had met here, renewing a silent understanding with one another, as well as affirming the friendship they shared.

Sure enough, the minute Jim Gordon looked back to the table from nodding at the owner, _he_ was sitting right there.

"Pushing close to time, as usual," Jim said, as the two cups of coffee were delivered. Batman took his immediately, and Jim could see the cold had gotten to his friend this year. Or likely it was that brush with Mr. Freeze, Jim amended in his thoughts. They sipped at their coffee in companionable silence for some time, letting the warmth of the diner mingle with the quiet of a city at peace.

"Victor Fries is locked up in Arkham again. So is Quinn." The voice was dry, but Jim heard the relief in that voice, that he managed to stop any more deaths for the old year.

"I do think that ranks as one of the oddest partnerships I've heard about all year." The aging commissioner then smiled slyly. "One of them, anyway."

"Oh?" Batman's lips twitched, but he kept his voice deadpan.

"Make sure to give my regards to Superman, when you see him tonight." The commissioner was up and dropping money on the table before Batman even recovered. For the first time ever, he had gotten to both see his friend dumbfounded and he had paid for their annual coffee.

For Batman, the feeling of warmth that rose was more because it was the first time someone outside his 'family' had acknowledged the relationship. The fact it was his best friend… he'd be more than sure to share this feeling with his lover, once Clark arrived at the mansion.

`~`~`~`~`

Superman had wanted to get there on time. He knew just which diner by focusing through the city for the peculiar sound of Bruce's heartbeat and the gadgets on him, but he still missed the actual midnight for turning off to help get a kitten down for a very relived, if surprised, Gotham child.

As it was, he set foot down outside the diner just as a mustachioed man in a beat up long coat and hat, wearing that quiet aura of public service, stepped out on the curb. The man looked at Superman, and slowly smiled beneath his glasses.

"Good." He cocked his head over his shoulder. "Take care of him, hear me?"

"Umm, yes sir..." Superman said in complete befuddlement, before the man got into his unmarked car. Superman shook it off and hurried inside, before Batman could leave, making the diner owner take a quick look and then busy himself cleaning the counter again.

"Hey," Superman said, before Batman had fully vanished out the back way, making him stop and turn.

"This is a surprise," Batman said drily. "Come for the coffee as well?"

"Maybe." He hesitated a little, but then Batman walked over and took a seat back at the table he and Jim had shared. Superman moved, sitting opposite him, and was grateful when coffee was delivered swiftly.

"Guys are never gonna believe this one, so might as well never even say it," the owner muttered as he walked away. It made both heroes smile, each with a warm cup in their hands.

"We should let him take a cell phone snapshot," Batman said, deadpan.

"Okay, now I know you've been up too late," Superman said, with a low laugh. "I wanted to be here at midnight."

Batman gave the slightest shrug, but Superman heard the stronger hitch of breath. "I always meet the commissioner here. He told me to give you his regards."

"I saw him just outside...told me to take care of you," Superman said, his voice low.

"Hmm." The white-out lenses gave a slight impression of mischief then, and Batman drank down another swallow of the coffee before setting it down and finding his own money to lay down. "Easier to do that elsewhere," he said in a quiet, serious tone.

Superman finished his coffee, able to ignore the heat, and stood.

Together, the World's Finest went out the front door to begin a new year.


End file.
